Cobalt Service Partners Acquires Door Company Automatic Entrances of Wisconsin
Automatic Entrances of Wisconsin is Cobalt’s ninth acquisition since launching in December and its eighth acquisition of 2024.
Adobe Stock image by markobe
NEW YORK – Commercial access solutions platform Cobalt Service Partners, backed by Alpine Investors, today announced its acquisition of Waukesha, Wisc.-based automatic door installation and service provider Automatic Entrances of Wisconsin.
AEW is Cobalt’s ninth acquisition since launching in December and its eighth acquisition of 2024.
Automatic Entrances of Wisconsin was founded by Bill Holcomb in 1976 when he and his wife acquired a failing automatic door distributor and refocused the business. Holcomb hired young salesman Jay Walt in 1978 and they grew the business.
“We grew the business with two guiding principles,” says Holcomb in the joint announcement. “First, ‘Service feeds sales…which feeds service,’ and second, ‘Treat the customer the way you would expect if you were the customer.’”
Guided by these principles, Automatic Entrances of Wisconsin has “solidified its position as Wisconsin’s premier automatic door business,” the announcement says.
Why Cobalt Acquired Automatic Entrances of Wisconsin
After more than a century of combined experience in the industry, Holcomb and Walt began thinking about selling the business. They wanted to “see the brand and legacy of Automatic Entrances of Wisconsin live on and wanted to ensure that the AEW team and customers would be in good hands.”
They also were looking for a fresh perspective and access to resources so the company could continue growing and meeting the ever-evolving needs of the market.
They ultimately decided to partner with Cobalt because “they felt Cobalt’s philosophy aligned with these objectives,” according to the joint announcement.
“The arrival of Cobalt into the marketplace offered a respectful approach to the culture we had fostered, and their commitment to the employees that built our business matched our wishes,” said Holcomb and Walt in the announcement.
“Cobalt also offered high level assistance to meet the ever-changing demands of today’s workplace,” they said. “With Cobalt’s vision, resources, and commitment to the future, we feel confident our legacy is secure.”
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Jay, Bill, and the whole AEW team into Cobalt,” says Anthony Gonzalez, co-CEO of Cobalt, in the joint announcement. “Jay and Bill have built a behemoth in the automatic door market by taking great care of their people and by providing excellent service to customers.
“We’re eager to double down on what made AEW great and are grateful for the opportunity to support the AEW team through this exciting next chapter,” he says.
Coinciding with the transaction, Holcomb has retired after nearly 50 years as AEW’s owner and Walt will continue with the business. Over time, Cobalt “will look to supplement the AEW team with additional leadership talent to help support its continued growth,” the joint announcement says.
If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our FREE digital newsletters!
Related Content
Security Is Our Business, Too
For professionals who recommend, buy and install all types of electronic security equipment, a free subscription to Commercial Integrator + Security Sales & Integration is like having a consultant on call. You’ll find an ideal balance of technology and business coverage, with installation tips and techniques for products and updates on how to add to your bottom line.
A FREE subscription to the top resource for security and integration industry will prove to be invaluable.
